C16 Chapter 16

A neat row of teeth marks was visible on the back of his hand. The tattooed man licked his lips and smiled, "Qiqi, let's not do this anymore. Come back with me."

"Who's playing games?" Yang Qi arched her eyebrows and stepped back, keeping her distance from the man. "Bai Kun, how many more times do I need to say it? We're over."

"When have you ever meant it?" Bai Kun, as if he hadn't heard her, glanced back at someone behind him and adjusted his collar, all the while keeping a smile on his face. "Come on, with all your colleagues around, let's not make a scene, alright?"

"When will you stop harassing me?" Yang Qi was clearly frustrated as she shouted at him, "Please, just leave me alone, will you?"

"Don't you love me anymore?"

There was no hint of emotion in Yang Qi's eyes as she replied icily, "No."

A mix of resentment and rage surged within Bai Kun as he raised his hand impulsively, "Bitch!"

The models around gasped in shock, with the more faint-hearted covering their eyes, unable to watch. In their line of work, their biggest fear was disfigurement or damage to their physique.

No one dared to imagine the damage that slap could do to Yang Qi's face.

Yang Qi's pupils dilated in terror, her body seemingly frozen in place, unable to move. As the slap neared, some models, envious of Yang Qi, sneered from behind, eager for the blow to land.

Terrified, Yang Qi turned her head aside, but the expected slap never touched her face. She cautiously opened her eyes to find Chen Dong standing before her, his tall frame shielding her.

A strange sense of relief washed over her. Could this be what safety felt like?

"Sir, hitting a woman is hardly the act of a gentleman," Chen Dong said, effortlessly releasing his grip and loosening his wrist, his demeanor unruffled.

Some in the crowd even recognized Chen Dong and murmured among themselves.

Bai Kun glared furiously at the man before him. He had merely asked him for directions earlier, but now, standing in his way, Bai Kun was beyond caring about pleasantries. "Step aside!"

Chen Dong stood resolute, like a mountain.

"This is the last time I'm saying this, move aside!" Bai Kun's voice was devoid of patience. His fists clenched tightly, veins standing out on the back of his hands like cords.

Chen Dong replied, "It won't make a difference how many times you say it."

His words clearly stoked the flames of Bai Kun's rage. With an angry bellow, Bai Kun raised his fist and swung it at Chen Dong without another word. The fist, as large as a sandbag, drew closer, yet Chen Dong's expression remained stoic.

Behind Chen Dong, Yang Qi was terrified, her complexion ashen and her lips blanched. "No... please don't..."

Everyone braced themselves, expecting Chen Dong to be sent flying with the impact of the punch. But to their surprise, Chen Dong seemed to find Bai Kun's punch unbearably slow, as if it were moving in slow motion.

As the fist neared his nose, Chen Dong caught it with one hand. Time froze in that instant. With a slight twist of his wrist, a snapping sound echoed. Bai Kun's pained scream followed as the towering man crumpled to the ground, writhing and red-faced with agony. "You... you..."

The onlookers were in disbelief. Was this the same Chen Dong who had once been so meek?

"Isn't that the new boxing champion, Bai Kun? My god," someone in the crowd gasped, hand over their mouth. "I never imagined... someone could surpass the boxing champion."

Chen Dong examined his own fist—small, with well-defined knuckles, more befitting of a scholar than a fighter.

It was an unexpected outcome. He had thrown a casual punch, never anticipating it would so effortlessly take down his opponent. Touching his nose self-consciously, Chen Dong wondered if perhaps the boxing champion's reputation was overrated.

If anyone knew Chen Dong's thoughts at that moment, they would be apoplectic. A title earned through countless battles couldn't possibly be a sham!

"You two, take him to the hospital," he directed the bodyguards at the entrance. As color returned to her cheeks, Yang Qi leaned against the wall and whispered with a raspy voice, "Thank you."

"This is my responsibility." After accepting Yang Guogang's payment, it was clear that safeguarding his daughter was part of the deal.

In no time, the two bodyguards snapped out of their stupor. They not only dispersed the models blocking the entrance but also hauled Bai Kun off the floor with surprising efficiency.

They had barely taken a hit while guarding the door before they were tossed out. Yang Qi internally grumbled about the situation. Regaining her composure, she looked at Chen Dong with a sheepish smile. "My father mentioned you're my bodyguard, right?"

Chen Dong nodded, touching his nose. "That's correct."

She had posed the question once before, but now Chen Dong understood the underlying request. "I hope you'll be willing to cooperate, Miss Yang."

"Absolutely, I'll cooperate." The recent ordeal had left Yang Qi with a cold sweat on her forehead. Initially skeptical of Chen Dong's slight stature, she now had full confidence in him.

Appearances can be deceiving, and this situation proved the adage true.

"Who was that man?"

Yang Qi's eyes shifted evasively at Chen Dong's inquiry, reluctant to divulge details. "It's personal. May I keep it to myself?"

"That's not an option." Chen Dong adhered to his principles. While he was Yang Qi's bodyguard, tasked with ensuring her safety, he expected her actions to be justifiable. Chen Dong was no thug; he couldn't condone wrongdoing.

"For your own safety, I need to know."

"That was my ex-boyfriend..." A look of revulsion crossed Yang Qi's face as she explained reluctantly, "I never intended to date him. He was the one who wouldn't leave me alone. He's caused me trouble on several occasions during assignments. I had no other choice..."

Chen Dong now understood. It seemed that dislocating the young man's joint had been the right call. Any lingering guilt he might have felt evaporated.

Such a person didn't deserve sympathy.

"In the future..." Yang Qi hesitated, unsure how to proceed and feeling somewhat humiliated.

"I will ensure your safety," Chen Dong assured her, pausing briefly to gauge her concern before adding, "All you need to do is trust me."

Yang Qi had already formed an estimate of Chen Dong's abilities. No one knew Bai Kun better than she did, and the fact that Chen Dong had managed to take Bai Kun down was a clear indicator of his exceptional skill.

Their conversation had just concluded when a clamor erupted from outside. Lee Susu's voice pierced the air, calling out, "Chen Dong, get out here!"

Chen Dong?

As a model, he wasn't really an insider at the company. If any of the other models recognized Chen Dong, it was likely due to their penchant for gossip and hearsay from company staff. Yang Qi, however, was a workaholic, too preoccupied with her own tasks to bother with such trivialities. Consequently, she was utterly clueless about Chen Dong's identity.